North African hockey teams set to hit the ice in the U.S. for first time

It’s not a sport usually associated with North Africa but the men’s hockey team from Algeria and Egypt’s first women’s team are preparing for their U.S. debut in New Jersey this week. 

The two teams are participating in the inaugural Dreams Nation Cup, a 5-day tournament just outside of New York City that encourages the sport in communities and parts of the world where hockey is largely overlooked. 

Participating teams come from countries as varied as Armenia, Mexico and the Caribbean.

“We’re using this opportunity to create a stage or platform for these smaller, developing programs to show off that they’re there, that they’re taken seriously and that they are committed to growing their sport,” Rob Ruszala, American Dream’s rink manager told NHL.com.

The teams from Algeria and Egypt have reportedly set their sights beyond New York. Their hope is to secure private and public investment into larger rinks in their home countries with the goal of gaining full membership into the International Ice Hockey Federation along with the opportunity to compete in the Olympics one day.